Curriculum and Instruction Information Item |
DATE: Tuesday, October 21, 2008
TO: School Board Members
FROM: MaryEllen Elia, Superintendent
SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Reading practice is essential to developing the critical-thinking and problem-solving abilities that ensure a lifelong love of reading and learning. While Accelerated Reader (AR) does not replace the reading instruction given in a classroom and is not intended to limit student choice, it can be used to support the reading curriculum. The Elementary Education Department supports Accelerated Reader as a motivational reading program.
With Renaissance Place, all data management is provided at the District level. This alleviates the school site of many technical issues, as well as, entering data and quizzes individually. This also provides every elementary site access to all AR quizzes that have been written. New quizzes are automatically updated into the database every Wednesday. To date we have received over 2,000 additional quizzes through these updates. No matter where an elementary student transfers, they will have the same AR quizzes available. All elementary schools become equitable with accessibility to Accelerated Reader. This is all provided to the elementary schools at no cost to the site.
Media and technology specialists received specialized, intensive training with an Implementation Consultant for Renaissance Learning. The team left with a tool kit of activities and materials that will help them facilitate training at all the elementary school sites. Afterwards, forty training sessions were provided to media specialists, technology specialists and classroom teachers. This training or “retraining” of our faculties continued on Professional Study Day, August 12, 2008.
Executive Summary is continued on attachment.
ANNUAL DISTRICT GOAL(S) AND CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S)
FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted: No)
EVALUATION
SUBMITTED BY:
Barbara B. Hancock
General Director, Elementary Education (813) 272-4455 |
Wynne A. Tye
Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum and Instruction (813) 272-4221 |
A 9.01 | |
Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20081021_302 * Section A Item# 9.01 |